Bill glossary

    Basic Charge – Single Phase & Three Phase
    This fixed monthly charge covers some of the set costs associated with having electric service, costs the company incurs regardless of the amount of electricity used (i.e. cost of meters, meter reading, billing, record-keeping, etc.).

    City Franchise Tax
    This charge is collected on behalf of the city. All taxes are remitted to the city for its use.

    Demand charge (kW)
    Demand charge is measured in kilowatts (kW). This is a measurement of capacity or the rate at which energy is used. Demand represents the greatest amount of energy used in 15-minute intervals during a billing cycle. High demand is usually associated with equipment start-up, which requires higher energy use than routine operations. 

    Efficiency & STEP Programs
    This collects funds for demand-side management programs, which are offered to help customers lower their energy usage. Funds also support initiatives in the Sustainable Transportation and Energy Plan, including programs for electric vehicles, clean coal research, solar energy and innovative technologies intended to curb emissions and improve air quality.

    Energy Balancing Account (EBA) Rate
    The EBA is a price adjustment (either credit or debit) that accounts for differences between actual power costs and the level of power costs that were set in customer rates. Power costs are the variable costs of providing customers with energy, including such things as fuel and the cost to purchase power from other producers. Power costs are offset by wholesale sales the Company makes to other utilities and entities that purchase wholesale power.

    Energy charge (kWh)
    Electricity is measured in watts, like gasoline is measured in gallons. A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is 1,000 watts used steadily for one hour – a measurement of the rate of electrical energy used multiplied by the length of time it is used. The average Rocky Mountain Power customer uses approximately 709 kWh per month or 8,508 kWh per year.

    Energy Charge (Block 1, Block 2): This charge reflects the costs of providing and producing electricity not recovered through the basic charge. Customers are charged based on the number of kilowatt-hours (kWh) used. Usage of 0-400 kWh is charged at the lowest rate (Block 1), and all additional kWh usage above 400 at the higher rate (Block 2).

    Home Electric Lifeline Program
    This state-mandated surcharge is used to collect funds for the Low-Income Residential Lifeline Program in Utah.

    Municipal Energy Sales and Use Tax
    This charge is collected on behalf of the city. All taxes are remitted to the city for its use.

    Power factor or reactive power (kvar)
    Power factor (or reactive power), measured in kilovolt-amperes (kvar), results from equipment that draws more current from the electrical system than usual. Customers can reduce this charge by turning off unused motors and other equipment and by installing capacitors. 

    Rate schedule
    Identifies rate category for your service address. This determines the rate you are billed.

    Renewable Energy Adjustment
    Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) are used for transferring, trading, selling or buying environmental benefits associated with renewable energy. Rocky Mountain Power sells a portion of the RECs it generates yearly. Revenues from sales are credited against the cost of providing energy. The market value and the quantity of RECs sold vary year to year. The Renewable Energy Adjustment on customer statements can be either a credit or debit based on the actual REC revenues received.

    Time of Day rates
    A rate system for customers designed to reflect the higher energy costs during the peak months of the year and hours of the day.

    Utah Sales Tax
    Rocky Mountain Power collects sales tax for the Utah State Tax Commission as required to conduct business in the state of Utah.

    Basic Charge – Single Phase & Three Phase
    This fixed monthly charge covers some of the set costs associated with having electric service, costs the company incurs regardless of the amount of electricity used (i.e. cost of meters, meter reading, billing, record-keeping, etc.).

    City Franchise Fee
    This charge is collected on behalf of the city. All taxes are remitted to the city for its use.

    Customer Efficiency Services
    This fee collects funds for energy efficiency services and programs, which are offered to help customers lower their energy usage.

    Deferred ECAM Rate
    This charge reflects the difference between the costs of power included in base rates and the actual costs of generating power that were incurred during the previous year.

    Demand charge (kW)
    Demand charge is measured in kilowatts (kW). This is a measurement of capacity or the rate at which energy is used. Demand represents the greatest amount of energy used in 15-minute intervals during a billing cycle. High demand is usually associated with equipment start-up, which requires higher energy use than routine operations. 

    Energy charge (kWh)
    Electricity is measured in watts, like gasoline is measured in gallons. A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is 1,000 watts used steadily for one hour – a measurement of the rate of electrical energy used multiplied by the length of time it is used. The average Rocky Mountain Power customer uses approximately 709 kWh per month or 8,508 kWh per year.

    Energy Charge (Block 1, Block 2)
    This charge covers the cost of both distribution (i.e. lines, transformers, conductors, etc.) and generation (i.e. power plants, transmission, etc.) of electricity. Customers are charged for the number of kilowatt-hours (kWh) used. The Company uses a two-tiered, or “Blocks,” pricing structure designed to encourage customers to save energy, which keeps energy bills low. Usage of 0-500 kWh is charged at the lowest rate (Block 1), and all kWh usage above 500 at the higher rate (Block 2).

    Energy Charge Demand (Block 1, Block 2)
    This charge covers some of the costs of meeting peak demand. Demand is the peak load, capacity, or rate of power the company must make available at any given moment to meet customer’s needs. Customers are charged for the number of kilowatt-hours (kWh) used. Usage of 0-500 kWh is charged at the lowest rate (Block 1), and all kWh usage above 500 kWh at the higher rate (Block 2). The two-tiered pricing structure is designed to encourage customers to save energy, which keeps energy bills low.

    Net Power Cost Energy (Block 1, Block 2): This charge covers a portion of generation costs (primarily fuel related). Customers are charged for the number of kilowatt-hours (kWh) used, with usage of 0-500 kWh (Block 1) charged at a lower rate than usage 501 kWh and above (Block 2). The two-tiered pricing structure is designed to encourage customers to save energy.

    Net Power Cost Demand (Block 1, Block 2): This charge covers a portion of generation costs (primarily demand related). Customers are charged for the number of kilowatt-hours (kWh) used, with usage of 0-500 kWh (Block 1) charged at a lower rate than usage of 501 kWh and above (Block 2). The two-tiered pricing structure is designed to encourage customers to save energy.

    Reactive power or reactive power (kvar)
    Reactive power (or reactive power), measured in kilovolt-amperes (kvar), results from equipment that draws more current from the electrical system than usual. Customers can reduce this charge by turning off unused motors and other equipment and by installing capacitors. 

    Rate schedule
    Identifies rate category for your service address. This determines the rate you are billed.

    Renewable Revenue Adjustment
    Revenues received by Rocky Mountain Power from the sale of renewable energy credits and sulfur dioxide emissions credits. Credits are based on the number of kilowatt-hours (kWh) used. Usage credit for 0-500 kWh are applied at the lower rate (Block 1), and all usage credit above 500 kWh at the higher rate (Block 2).

    Sales Tax
    Rocky Mountain Power collects sales tax for the Wyoming State Tax Commission as required to conduct business in the state of Wyoming.

    Wyoming Rate Rider
    This rider fee allows Rocky Mountain Power to recover a portion of the variation in net power costs experienced by the company. The fee is based on projections of net power costs into future years. These costs are largely outside the control of the company and represent a large portion of the company's total operating costs.

    Basic Charge
    This fixed monthly charge covers some of the set costs associated with having electric service, costs the company incurs regardless of the amount of electricity used (i.e. cost of meters, meter reading, record-keeping, etc.).

    BPA Columbia River Benefits
    The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) credit is applied to all kWh usage between 0-1000 each month on bills of qualifying customers as part of the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act.

    City Franchise Fee
    This charge is collected on behalf of the city. All fees are remitted to the city for its use.

    Customer Efficiency Services
    Provides funds for energy efficiency services and programs, which are offered to help customers lower their energy usage.

    Energy charge (kWh)
    Electricity is measured in watts, like gasoline is measured in gallons. A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is 1,000 watts used steadily for one hour – a measurement of the rate of electrical energy used multiplied by the length of time it is used. The average Rocky Mountain Power customer uses approximately 709 kWh per month or 8,508 kWh per year.

    Energy Charge (Winter Block 1, Block 2/Summer Block 1, Block 2)
    This charge covers the cost of both distribution (i.e. lines, transformers, conductors, etc.) and generation (i.e. power plants, fuel, transmission, etc.) of electricity. Customers are charged based on the number of kilowatt-hours (kWh) used. In winter (November through April), usage of 0-1000 kWh is charged at the lowest rate (Block 1), and all kWh usage above 1000 at the higher rate (Block 2). In summer (May through October), usage of 0-700 kWh is charged at the lowest rate (Block 1), and all kWh usage above 700 at the higher rate (Block 2).

    Energy Cost Adjustment
    This charge reflects the difference between the costs of power that were included in base rates and the actual costs of generating power that were incurred during the previous year.

    Power charge or demand charge (kW)
    Power charge, or demand charge, is measured in kilowatts (kW). This is a measurement of capacity or the rate at which energy is used. Demand represents the greatest amount of energy used in 15-minute intervals during a billing cycle. High demand is usually associated with equipment start-up, which requires higher energy use than routine operations. 

    Power factor or reactive power (kvar)
    Power factor (or reactive power), measured in kilovolt-amperes (kvar), results from equipment that draws more current from the electrical system than usual. Customers can reduce this charge by turning off unused motors and other equipment and by installing capacitors. 

    On-Peak Energy Charge
    This charge is for the electricity a Time of Day customer used during on-peak hours.

    Off-Peak Energy Charge
    This charge is for electricity a Time of Day customer used during off-peak hours.

    Rate schedule
    Identifies rate category for your service address. This determines the rate you are billed.

    Time of Day rates
    A rate system for customers designed to reflect the higher energy costs during the peak months of the year and hours of the day.